G-News #3 You Always Have Hope

Good News About Being a Christian #3You You

Always Always Have Have

HopeHope by Tim Bond

http://www.sermoncentral.com/sermon.asp?SermonID=44937&Sermon%20You%20Always%20Have%20Hope%20by%20Tim%20Bond

It was a balmy October afternoon in 1982. Badger Stadium in Madison

Wisconsin was packed. That day there were more than 60,000 die-

hard University of Wisconsin football fans watching their team

take on the Michigan State Spartans.

It didn’t take long to determine who the It didn’t take long to determine who the better team was. Michigan State was better team was. Michigan State was

mopping up the field with the mopping up the field with the Badgers. But what seemed odd was Badgers. But what seemed odd was

that even as the score became that even as the score became increasingly lopsided against their increasingly lopsided against their

team, there were bursts of applause team, there were bursts of applause and shouts of joy from the Wisconsin and shouts of joy from the Wisconsin

fans.fans.

How could they cheer when their team How could they cheer when their team was getting trounced so decisively? was getting trounced so decisively? It turns out that 70 miles away the It turns out that 70 miles away the

Milwaukee Brewers were beating the Milwaukee Brewers were beating the St. Louis Cardinals in one of the 1982 St. Louis Cardinals in one of the 1982

World Series games. World Series games.

Many of the fans in the stands were Many of the fans in the stands were listening to portable radios and listening to portable radios and

responding to what was going on in responding to what was going on in another game, in another sport, in another game, in another sport, in

another place. another place.

There is something to be said for being plugged into what is going on

elsewhere. Sometimes, the things that are going on where you are become

extremely difficult.

So as Paul writes the words we are about to read in Romans 8Romans 8, He wants to make sure that our faith in God affects the perspective in which we view our

circumstances. No matter how difficult or even desperate our situation

seems, Paul says we can face it with hope.

Romans 8:18Romans 8:18 NET NET For I consider that our For I consider that our present sufferings cannot even be present sufferings cannot even be compared to the glory that will be compared to the glory that will be revealed to us. revealed to us. 1919 For the creation For the creation

eagerly waits for the revelation of the eagerly waits for the revelation of the sons of God.sons of God.

2020 For the creation was subjected to For the creation was subjected to futility — not willingly but because of futility — not willingly but because of God who subjected it — in hopeGod who subjected it — in hope 2121

that the creation itself will also be set that the creation itself will also be set free from the bondage of decay into free from the bondage of decay into

the glorious freedom of God's the glorious freedom of God's children.children.

2222 For we know that the whole creation For we know that the whole creation groans and suffers together until now. groans and suffers together until now.

2323 Not only this, but we ourselves Not only this, but we ourselves also, who have the firstfruits of the also, who have the firstfruits of the

Spirit, groan inwardly as we eagerly Spirit, groan inwardly as we eagerly await our adoption, the redemption of await our adoption, the redemption of

our bodies.our bodies.

2424 For in hope we were saved. Now For in hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope, hope that is seen is not hope,

because who hopes for what he because who hopes for what he sees?sees? 2525 But if we hope for what we But if we hope for what we do not see, we eagerly wait for it with do not see, we eagerly wait for it with

endurance.endurance.

For three weeks we have been focusing on the Good News about

being a Christian. The first week we highlighted if we live our lives in the middle of God’s grace, there is no

condemnation for our sin.

Last week we focused on the fact that God gives us a companion in the Holy

Spirit that helps us to live life to the fullest. This week, it is the gift of hope that Paul is pointing to. The fact that

"we always have hope" is a tremendous benefit of knowing Jesus

Christ as our Lord and Savior.

You don’t have to be a very astute observer to notice that we live in a

world that struggles against hopelessness. If you talk to people at

all, you are going to get in a conversation with someone who is

going to tell you that they are discouraged.

Listen to any of the radio talk shows or watch the news and you are going to hear people who are cynical about life. They think the world is going

down the drain. On a world scale, it seems that we go from crisis to crisis.

Many during their lifetime have seen W.W.II, Korea, Vietnam,

Iran hostages, Iraq, and Bosnia, just to name a few of the highest profile conflicts. And in spite of our best

efforts, we know there will be more conflicts.

There is economic crises today in our country and

around the world. We are faced with an ongoing crisis in

America’s leadership. But not all the struggles are on a national and

international scale.

In our personal lives there is pain. We have physical problems that afflict our bodies. We endure emotional turmoil that comes

with losing a loved one or that comes when we are disappointed by someone we love. If we are honest, we have to

admit that we have spiritual struggles as we find ourselves disappointed with God.

As Paul talks about life, he does not want to candy coat the pain and struggles that we go through. But what he wants to do

is to put them in perspective. Look again at what he says in

Romans 8:18Romans 8:18 NET NET For I consider that our For I consider that our present sufferings cannot even be present sufferings cannot even be compared to the glory that will be compared to the glory that will be

revealed to us.revealed to us.

Paul uses language that helps us see life as an eternal proposition. We live here on earth for a little while, but we live forever. What Paul wants to make

sure of is that we don’t get so discouraged with the difficulties of this life that we lose sight of the big picture

of eternity.

He says, "Don’t forget, there will be a time when there won’t be any more struggles, pain, death or tears. For

those who are in Christ, there will be only joy and happiness."

Now look at what Paul says next. Romans 8:19Romans 8:19 NET NET For the creation eagerly For the creation eagerly

waits for the revelation of the sons of waits for the revelation of the sons of God.God. 2020 For the creation was subjected to For the creation was subjected to futility — not willingly but because of God futility — not willingly but because of God

who subjected it — in hopewho subjected it — in hope 2121 that the that the creation itself will also be set free from creation itself will also be set free from the bondage of decay into the glorious the bondage of decay into the glorious

freedom of God's children.freedom of God's children.

But the truth of the matter is, that right now we live in a world that is less than

perfect. This world is subject to the second law of thermodynamics. That

law states that everything in this universe is decaying.

What seems fresh and new one day will someday be old and broken down.

Something that is growing and vibrant will some day shrivel up and die.

To use Paul’s language, this world is in "bondage to decaybondage to decay."

So the plant that pops up through the soil and looks so alive and fresh will

one day die and rot away.

The reality of the situation is that everything on earth is subject to the

second law of thermodynamics. Even those of you with green thumbs

can’t make a plant live forever! Every living thing will

eventually die and decay.

That includes me and that includes you.

The second law of thermodynamics doesn’t offer any hope for anything on this earth. And when you run smack dab into the unyielding wall of that

truth, it is sobering.

A philosopher of the last century, Bertrand Russell was an outspoken atheist. He even delivered a lecture

called Why I Am Not A Christian. When Russell was 81 years old,

he was interviewed on a BBC radio talk show.

The interviewer asked him what he had to hang onto when death was

obviously so close. Russell responded,

"I have nothing to hang onto but grim, unyielding despair."

What an honest, yet hopeless response.

You see, when you live only for this life, when you invest your life in the flesh, when you think that this is all there is,

you can’t help but live in despair.

But for those of us who are in Christ Jesus there is hope, because we anticipate a time when death and

decay will no longer exist. In verse 1919 Paul says For the creation eagerly For the creation eagerly

waits for the revelation of the sons of waits for the revelation of the sons of God. God. RomansRomans 8:198:19 NET

That phrase "eagerly waitseagerly waits" is a picturesque word that means

"to stretch the neck in anticipation." Have you ever waited for someone to come home at airport? As the people come off the jetway you stretch and

strain to see them as soon as possible.

Paul says creation is in that type of existence, longing to see what God is going to do. I believe it. Look at what

Paul goes on to say next. Romans 8:22Romans 8:22 NET NET For we know that the For we know that the

whole creation groans and suffers whole creation groans and suffers together until now.together until now.

2323 Not only this, but we ourselves also, Not only this, but we ourselves also, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we eagerly await groan inwardly as we eagerly await our adoption, the redemption of our our adoption, the redemption of our

bodies.bodies. You’ve been around people who groan

outwardly because of the pain their bodies are racked with.

It is difficult to hear, but surely you have been around more people who groan

inwardly too. It might not be an audible groan, but more of an internal groan. It’s a sense longing for perfection. In Paul’s

mind, the groan occurs when we recognize that there is a huge gap

between what is and what ought to be.

Every one of us has been there. When we experience the

fellness of this world, we let out a groan.

Maybe it’s when a friend or a child or a parent or someone we love does something we wish they wouldn’t

have or we know they shouldn’t have.

And out of frustration we groan. Maybe it’s when circumstances arise that

cause us or someone we love pain. And out of pity we groan. But Paul says that groaning is a sign of our

hope. We are longing for something better.

And if we are in Christ, we have the promise that there is something

better. So as we groan, we remember our hope. Some day things will be

better. We have hope! And that hope for the future can and should affect

our present disposition.

You see, the Biblical worldview points us to a hope that is greater than the world we live in. Just as Paul said

earlier in Romans 8Romans 8 that we need to live in the Spirit rather than the flesh, he reminds us in these verses we need

to be in touch with an eternal perspective on life that is greater than

this world.

If we are in Christ, we have been infused with an eternal sense of hopefulness. For the Christian, there is no such thing as a hopeless situation. Romans 8:24Romans 8:24 NET For For in hope we were saved. Now hope that is in hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope, because who hopes for seen is not hope, because who hopes for what he sees?what he sees? 2525 But if we hope for what But if we hope for what we do not see, we eagerly wait for it withwe do not see, we eagerly wait for it with

endurance.endurance.

Paul expands on this idea a little more in;

2 Corinthians 4:162 Corinthians 4:16 NET NET Therefore we do Therefore we do not despair, but even if our physical not despair, but even if our physical

body is wearing away, our inner body is wearing away, our inner person is being renewed day by day.person is being renewed day by day.

1717 For our momentary, light suffering is For our momentary, light suffering is producing for us an eternal weight of producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparisonglory far beyond all comparison 1818

because we are not looking at what because we are not looking at what can be seen but at what cannot be can be seen but at what cannot be

seen. For what can be seen is seen. For what can be seen is temporary, but what cannot be seen is temporary, but what cannot be seen is

eternal.eternal.

Now make sure you understand what God is teaching us here through

Paul’s words. He’s not saying pain, pleasure, sickness, sin, & death are

just a dream like the Christian Scientists bible companion

Science and HealthScience and Health alleges it is. Science and Health Science and Health

page 188, lines 11-17page 188, lines 11-17

1111 Mortal existence is a dream of pain and Mortal existence is a dream of pain and pleasure in pleasure in 1212 matter, a dream of sin, matter, a dream of sin,

sickness, and death; and it is like sickness, and death; and it is like 1313 the the dream we have in sleep, in which every dream we have in sleep, in which every one one 1414 recognizes his condition to be recognizes his condition to be wholly a state of wholly a state of 1515 mind. In both the mind. In both the

waking and the sleeping dream, waking and the sleeping dream, the the 1616 dreamer thinks that his body is dreamer thinks that his body is material and the suffering material and the suffering 1717 is in that is in that

body.body.

That’s not it at all. This world does hurt, it is frustrated and

painful, and we shouldn’t deny the pain. But we cannot let the

hopelessness of this creation get us down. For the Christian, who has

entrusted God with their life, there is always reason for hope, both in this

life and in the life to come.

Now, given that eternal perspective that there is more to life than the physical world, let me show you two ways that the Christian’s hope for the future will

change our present.

1. Our hope keeps us from 1. Our hope keeps us from settling for the things of settling for the things of this world.this world.

We live in a society that has bought the lie that "stuff" will provide

happiness. In the late 20th century United States, we live in

unprecedented prosperity.

There is this idea floating around that if you can just gather enough stuff, you will experience fulfillment. That stuff

might be power, or prestige, or possessions, or relationships.

But if you are astute enough to look around at the people that have those

things you will notice a trend. Fulfillment doesn’t come from that stuff. Scott Dudley put it this way:

"Never in history have so many had so much for so long and been so

depressed about it."

But when we adopt an eternal mindset, stuff loses it’s significance. When we recognize that the things of this world aren’t going to last forever, we realize that there is no fulfillment in collecting

it. We come to recognize what Solomon said in:

Ecclesiastes 2:26Ecclesiastes 2:26 NET NET For to the one who For to the one who pleases him, God gives wisdom, pleases him, God gives wisdom,

knowledge, and joy, but to the sinner, knowledge, and joy, but to the sinner, he gives the task of amassing wealth he gives the task of amassing wealth

— only to give it to the one who — only to give it to the one who pleases God. This task of the wicked pleases God. This task of the wicked

is futile — like chasing the wind!is futile — like chasing the wind!

To the man who pleases him, God gives wisdom, knowledge and

happiness, but to the sinner he gives the task of gathering and storing up

wealth to hand it over to the one who pleases God.

When we place our hope in God, we don’t try to satisfy our groanings with the things of this world. In hope, we anticipate that God will satisfy us in ways that cannot be understood in

this lifetime.

Romans 8:24Romans 8:24 NET NET For in hope we were For in hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not saved. Now hope that is seen is not

hope, because who hopes for what he hope, because who hopes for what he sees?sees? 2525 But if we hope for what we But if we hope for what we do not see, we eagerly wait for it with do not see, we eagerly wait for it with

endurance.endurance.

2. Our hope turns our eyes 2. Our hope turns our eyes away from our pain to away from our pain to God’s glory.God’s glory.You know, more than you want to I’m

sure, about my airplane crash. You know the terrible pain I live with that stems from that life changing event. I

can not find any part of my life or being it hasn’t changed!

Of course you’re familiar with the pain, cognitive problems & the terrible side of these changes. Let me tell you of

the positive side. Yes!Yes! there is a positive side. As in any near-death

experience one takes a closer, reflective, look at their life.

If the airplane’s control stick would of jabbed an eighth or quarter of an inch further and entered my brain I would

most likely of died right then and there. If that would have happen was I ready

at that time to meet my Maker, my Judge?

I had not been actively striving to serve God. I was just warming a pew on Sunday mornings. It took a couple

years after the crash and the death of my Dad before I started listening to

his words from many times and years before.

“You should be preaching at that church. You should go to that town, the church there needs a preacher.” Finally I did throw myself into serving God filling the pulpit where needed. I learned Our Lord wants more than people standing on the sidelines.

He wants His people in the middle of the action. I also learned something else. A

truth that Paul expressed in: 2 Corinthians 1:32 Corinthians 1:3 NET NET Blessed is the God and Blessed is the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of

mercies and God of all comfort, mercies and God of all comfort, 44 who who comforts us in all our troubles so that we may comforts us in all our troubles so that we may

be able to comfort those experiencing any be able to comfort those experiencing any trouble with the comfort with which we trouble with the comfort with which we

ourselves are comforted by God.ourselves are comforted by God.

You see, the good news is that in Christ we live in a constant state of hope that the pain of this world will give way to

the painless reality of heaven. The promise from the Bible is

that in that time Christ will dry all our tears.

But that hope isn’t just "Pie in the sky in the sweet by and by."

That hope infuses us now with the ability to turn our eyes away from our

pain to God’s glory.Romans 8:18Romans 8:18 NET NET For I consider that our For I consider that our

present sufferings cannot even be present sufferings cannot even be compared to the glory that will be compared to the glory that will be

revealed to us.revealed to us.

1919 For the creation eagerly waits for the For the creation eagerly waits for the revelation of the sons of God. revelation of the sons of God. 2020 For For the creation was subjected to futility the creation was subjected to futility — not willingly but because of God — not willingly but because of God

who subjected it — in hope who subjected it — in hope 2121 that the that the creation itself will also be set free from creation itself will also be set free from the bondage of decay into the glorious the bondage of decay into the glorious

freedom of God's children.freedom of God's children.

2222 For we know that the whole creation For we know that the whole creation groans and suffers together until now.groans and suffers together until now.

2323 Not only this, but we ourselves Not only this, but we ourselves also, who have the firstfruits of the also, who have the firstfruits of the

Spirit, groan inwardly as we eagerly Spirit, groan inwardly as we eagerly await our adoption, the redemption of await our adoption, the redemption of

our bodies.our bodies.

2424 For in hope we were saved. Now For in hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope, hope that is seen is not hope,

because who hopes for what he because who hopes for what he sees? sees? 2525 But if we hope for what we But if we hope for what we do not see, we eagerly wait for it with do not see, we eagerly wait for it with

endurance.endurance.

The good news for those who are in Christ Jesus is that

YOU YOU ALWAYS ALWAYS

HAVE HAVE HOPE.HOPE.